- Thomas Duffy (musician)
Thomas C. Duffy (born
June 17 1955 ) is an American conductor and composer of modernclassical music .Conducting positions
Since 1982 Duffy has been an Adjunct Professor of Music at the
Yale School of Music and the Director of Bands atYale University . He has served as director of theYale Concert Band , theYale Jazz Ensemble , and theYale Precision Marching Band .Duffy has conducted bands and orchestras throughout the United States and Japan, England, France, Ireland, and Italy.
Education
He received his
Bachelor of Science inMusic Education (magna cum laude ) andMaster of Musical Arts in Composition from theUniversity of Connecticut , and hisDoctor of Musical Arts in Composition fromCornell University , where he studied with composersKarel Husa andSteven Stucky .Teaching positions
He has taught music courses at the
Hartford Conservatory , [http://www.hartfordconservatory.org/] theUniversity of Connecticut , the Auburn Maximum Security Correctional Facility,Cornell University , andYale University .Composing career
Duffy's first influence,
Charles Whittenberg , was hailed at one point as the primary American scion of thesecond Viennese school . While studying with Whittenberg, he worked in depth withserialism and the ordering of all parameters of music. Duffy was attracted to Cornell by Karel Husa's unique combination of the art of musical composition with themes of contemporary importance. He first came into contact with Husa's quarter-tones andproportional notation as an undergraduatesaxophonist playing in the University of Connecticut Wind Ensemble. While at Cornell, he studied with Husa and also withSteven Stucky , from whom he contracted an interest in the music ofLuigi Dallapiccola ,György Ligeti ,Steve Reich ,Philip Glass ,Iannis Xenakis , andWitold Lutosławski .Recordings and performances of Mr. Duffy's music include those by college bands, wind ensembles, and
orchestra s throughout the world. His music is published byAmerican Composers Alliance ,Ludwig Music andBourne Company Music Publishers.A list of his compositions may be seen on [http://www.duffymusic.com/catalog.html his web site] .
Other positions
He served as Deputy Dean of the
Yale School of Music from 1997 to 2005 and as Acting Dean from July 2005 through June 2006.He has served as president of the
New England College Band Association , president of Connecticut Composers Inc., publicity co-chairman for theWorld Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles , chairman of theConnecticut Music Educators Association Professional Affairs and Government Relations Committees, and a member of theAmerican Composers Alliance , BMI, and theAmerican Bandmasters Association . Mr. Duffy served as president of theCollege Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) Eastern Division; he currently serves as vice president of CBDNA and will assume the association's presidency in 2009. His music is published by American Composers Alliance, Ludwig Music and Bourne Company Music Publishers. In 1996, Duffy was selected as Outstanding Music Educator of the Year by theConnecticut Music Educators Association .Quotable quotes
"And jazz was born."
"With instruments this time."
External links
* [http://www.duffymusic.com/ Thomas Duffy's web site]
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